Canelo Alvarez sues Golden Boy, DAZN; De la Hoya blames streaming service

Mexican boxing superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is suing Golden Boy Promotions, its founder and CEO Oscar de la Hoya, and broadcast partner DAZN in a US federal court claiming damages of at least $280 million.

The 24-page lawsuit was first obtained and reported by boxingscene.com. Alvarez is filing charges for, among other reasons, breach of contract, intentional interference with a contract, negligent interference with a contract, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duty related to a five-year, 11-fight deal worth $365 million Alvarez signed with DAZN in October 2018.

The deal Alvarez entered into guaranteed him two bouts a year with a $35 milion minimum guarantee from a $40 million DAZN would pay Golden Boy each fight except the first event of the contract against Rocky Fielding where Alvarez received $15,000,000.

“Despite Alvarez’s successes, both DAZN and Golden Boy have broken the promises they made to each other, Alvarez, and boxing fans,” the lawsuit wrote.

“In doing so defendants have breached their respective contracts and caused Alvarez damages of at least $280 million.”

Other than the damages, Alvarez is furthermore seeking punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, costs of the suit, and a judicial determination that he is eligible to participate in bouts arranged and promoted by entities other than Golden Boy Promotions and broadcast by entities other than DAZN.

Oscar de la Hoya was relatively calm upon learning about the lawsuit though he expressed his frustrations with DAZN for allegedly not living up to their part of the bargain.

“In my mind, Canelo is willing to fight anyone, obviously, the way he’s proved it many times in his career. He’s willing to fight Billy Joe Saunders; he’s willing to fight Callum Smith. My frustration is DAZN. My frustration is the obligation that DAZN has to its fans and Canelo,” De la Hoya told boxingscene.com.

“Another frustration is DAZN’s obligation to live up to a contract that they signed. That’s a huge frustration. That’s a huge deal-breaker for us,” he added.

“That’s where the frustration is. How can you fight a top-level opponent like Callum Smith, an elite opponent like Callum Smith and Billy Joe Saunders, and then have DAZN not live by their contract? It doesn’t make sense to me and that’s where the frustration is. They’re not living up to their contract.”

Boxingscene.com also reports that DAZN would make a fight between Alvarez and Saunders or Smith but for less his guaranteed purse on the contract since all parties are bound to take a hit on revenue as ticket sales would not come into play when they put up an audience-free event.

“We’re obviously hoping we get back to normal very soon and we can hopefully have gate revenue as soon as possible, but we figured it out. The only worry I have is DAZN living up its contract,” said De La Hoya about doing a big fight without attendance.

“If I have a contract and if I don’t live it up to it what’s going to happen? And, yes, we don’t want to litigate. That’s the last resort. That’s not even a resort for us. We’ve been great partners, yes, they’ve been great partners. We just want to get a fight going. The fans deserve it.”

DAZN has yet to release a statement regarding the matter. – JM Siasat/RC, GMA News